Testimonials Greenlight 2015

Group Course Evaluation 2015

These testimonials and course evaluations come from the Greenlight District Project Class of 2015. For security purposes their surnames have been deleted. The writing has been kept intact as much as possible with how they wrote it, spelling mistakes and grammar included. Be aware that for many of them, English is a second language, (I can’t even speak Zulu, Xhosa, Venda, or Shona, let alone write it), so for the most part, we think they’re doing an amazing job.

Duncan – Ist Year

What script writing means and has done for me?

I’m DUNCAN. On/In the outside world I’m known as ‘Sheboy’ (32). I’m an actor by nature and I believe that I am the best in the making. Scriptwriting is helping me in understanding more about my trade (acting). I’ve always loved acting from as far as I can remember but script writing has opened a whole hew world and understanding about the industry. I know I’m very creative and strife to be the best in every challenge or thing that I do.

I’m very grateful to MRS PIPPA for leaving her everyday life to spend it with us here (prison). It means a lot to me as you get people that don’t even think of us. The fact that you (MRS PIPPA) leave your important things in life to give and others a second chance in life, is just amazing and I promise not to disappoint. I’m a hard worker and will show my appreciation by passing this course with flying colours. My aim is a distingtion but passing is inevitable and that is a promise. You’ve given me a purpose in life, something to wake up in the mornings and to be proud of, I just wish we had more days for script writing and I pray everyday to God to help us as a class to get more support from other people. This coarse is my fishing rod, my passion my hope and future. That you for your humanity and love, your kindness, time and strength. It is because of your teachings and advice that I get stronger everyday and not give up on my dreams and life.

Mam, you are my mother, my friend and my hope, you’re the stern and no nonsense teacher and mentor. Your work ethic makes me wanna work even harder even if I can’t catch up. Just thinking of all the sacrifices you make to be on time on Wednesdays makes me feel guilty when I’m feeling sick or down and that makes me push myself and forget about whats negative in my life.

When I read the book, I can hear your voice and all your teachings. Man you’re a genius and a very, very intelligent person. I’m raised by a single parent (mother) and she thought me respect and for you I got a lot of respect and don’t worry it wont get finished. Your out of this world, an amazing person, please don’t ever change, I love you for who you are as you showed me respect, kindness and how a person should treat others. Humorous is an understatement when coming to you as you even enjoy jokes been made on you … lol.

Keep up the good work …

The woman I’m gonna mary, is going to be lucky and happy as I am moulded into not only the best script-writer but also a gentleman of note and it’s all thanks to Me Lady … yes you MRS PIPPA

May God guide and protect you, bless you abundantly so your cup may overflow more than you ever can imagine, once again thanks you till ∞ infinity. (crying with laughter emoji) – tears of joy.

Duncan “Sheboy”

Student: Aswin

11 November 2015

FILM AND SCRIPT WRITING

COURSE REVIEW

The blanket of night hovers around me. Stars barely visible shine their sparkly light upon me. My restricted view causes me to stare harder. Trying to take in every aspect of the darkness. A steel dorr guarded by a thick steel gate allows me a line of sight through a small flap. I stand at the flap taking in the gentle breeze and appreciating the gift of life. Fond memories of life past, flood my mind. My clock radio with its beady red digits counts on as down approaches. The temperature drops as I continue to stand at the door, trying to absorb as much of life outside. Night slowly fades as morning claims the sky. An eventual fading across the horizon, sees the stars slowly disappear. My mouth widens into a gradual intentional, smile. Tuesday has passed and the blessing of Wednesday races towards me. My precious fish pond comes into view signaling the time to tidy up and get prepared for my film and script writing course. My spirits have been lifted. I am eager for the warden to unlock my cramped box and let me out into the open air.

My Philishave zooms to life. My shoes are polished and buffed. My “oros” coloured clothes are ironed and adorned. Time is now monitored closely as 8.30 AM approaches. The main gate to the section is observed for access to the spiral footway that guides me to the office block.

The coca-cola room, my oasis is near!

On commencement of this course, my mind was limited to what I saw, what I heard and what either made me happy, or sad. I could easily put this to words but converting those sights to images was a major stumbling block for me. However, as I progressed through this course, scenes have grown into pictures and sights and sounds have been converted and transformed into inspirational, emotive words that are now able to bring pictures to life.

My thoughts have been transmuted to understand that my daily life can be drawn and comes to life in film script. Initially it was very difficult to get the gist of condensing all the elements required to write a two minute script. I could not fathom how I was going to convey my ideas and then bring them to life in two minutes! I honestly that this was going to be impossible. Further, how will I get my audience to understand my message, my dramatic question, my plot!

When the course was advertised, I thought, wow, this cold be interesting, leave alone allowing me to watch some really good movies! How mistaken I was to think that this was going to be one of those laid back course where I listen, watch and then get a certificate. I failed to imagine what was in store for me and what was actually required of me. Lest the need for actually writing a movie script, in a recognized format, and then being interrogated by a panel of external professionals who were going to score my prospective movie.

With due consideration to the above, my emotive turmoil was relieved to find that my facilitator was an absolute angel. Not just her voice, but her persona, her patience and her passion for film and script writing succeeded in grooming me to a point of no return! A point in my life where I leave reality behind and slip into my own secret world of imagery and sound that will convey my thoughts, my most innermost feeling, and this in turn will pass on a message to my audience. A message so profound that I become the hero, the man of the moment and the director. Is this really true? Have I come this far? The answer to that question is, yes!!!!!

So what is it that caused this transformation and allowed me to enter this fantastic world of film and script writing? The simple answer to this is my dear friend Pippa Dyer.

Pippa, you have granted me an opportunity to rise above the moment, escape from reality, but at the same time to make a meaningful difference to my life. You have showed me how to reach deep into my soul and surface with ideas and thoughts that have been bottled and sealed away. My mind is now a film making machine, always on the search for new ideas, new emotions and tasteful love that I will strive to impart to the world, with the skill imparted by you.

I am eternally indebted to you Pippa for honing in on a skill and talent which I never thought was possible! You have given me a new approach to life and for this, you have my most sincere gratitude, appreciation, indebtedness, and eternal thanks, that I will carry with me on this long journey we call life.

This is no longer just a film and script writing course, it has now become a journey of knowledge and wisdom. A new dimension of vision that has been unveiled to show me the real secrets of life, detailed in pictures, in a manner that will bring my name to the big screen.

You have become my inherited, trusted and a very near and dear friend for life!!!! Your kindness and the imparting of your valuable lessons, cause me to remain indebted to you eternally.

My most sincere, and heartfelt gratitude to you, dearest Pippa.

Ashwin

Greenlight District Project

IQU2Film

Student: Francis

Recommendation: Film and Creative Writing

The purpose of this course is to offer fundamental skills to encourage creative writing and give insight to writing scripts for movies. The course is highly informative, educational, empowering and most of all it is a new language to some of us to learn and understand. However, we willing to stay the course to achieve our goals in the world/film industry. I was longing to be in such a course long back but due to my family background it wasn’t easy for me; at times I do struggle to come up with great ideas as it is a new concept but with the love, support and encouragement of Ms Pippa I believe that I will crawl and gain momentum until the end. The course for me its positive, constructive and productive. Today I can confess that I am no longer the guy I was before I met Ms Pippa.

Pippa’s facilitation is very high, good and well structured, she has her own unique format in presenting Film and Script Writing. Furthermore, she is a loving and caring mother, Pippa means a lot to me I have been in her class since 2014-2915 and still looking forward to work with the lady. I wish that some of my fellow could also join and grab this opportunity so that we may overcome recidivism in South Africa.

Nkosana

Recommendation: Film and Creative writing

The purpose of this course is to teach, and to give skills to people like me as to how to write a good story, and to be creative as well in a process.

It is an interesting skill that one can enjoy or even make a salary out of it. I join this class because I wanted to know how to write a film, so that I can start formatting my very own films that I had them going on in my mind for a very long time.

Now because I know that a Film has different aspects that one need to look at, I can start creating and writing mine without doubts.

Pippa is a very good teacher when it comes to teaching about Film and to be creative when doing that. She is good in everything and most of all I like her patience, she is down to earth and I don’t know how she does that, my God bless her.

In a long run, I wish to see this class progressing in terms of equipment such as computers and other important tools that we need in the class and I also wish that we get more student in class next year.

Last but not list, I would like to say I LOVE YOU PIPPA and please enjoy your festive season with your family.

What I have learned in a Film and Script Writing class

I, Bongani, a film and script writing student in Johannesburg Correctional Centre.

I am very grateful to be part of this amazing class. The course has helped me big time in identifying the passion I have for film industry. I’ve gain a very helpful information about the film industry.

Through this course I have learn how to build a character. I can proudly say that I understand the following:

:20 Master plot and how to build them

: Genre

: The storyteller Narrative Structure

: 2 Page synopsis Pitch

: Archetypes

: Hero’s Journey

I would like to thank Ms Pilippa J Dyer for her effort and passion for the industry, she’s such an amazing mentor. The Storyteller Workbook 1 has been very helpful. With enough material this class can go a long way, however our facilitator have not got the sponsor for this project. I wish we can get one soon to make our journey more enjoyable.

I thank you a lot.
Bongani

SCRIPT WRITING EVALUATION

Bheki

First and foremost I would like to thank you MRS PHILLIPPA. J. DYER for believing in us. And for waisting your expensive time and your luxurious effort coming us as offenders and the opportunites you gave us to develop ourselves.

To me you are a noble spirited minded person and your excellency deserves and award ,And I wish to ‘BLESS YOU’.

As I am since I have started attending the script writing course,my biggest breakthough I had as anew writer is to understand this concept ,I have experiences a lot of thing in terms of language and the terms of the film industry ,And a lot of information I did not know.And that had made me to grow.

Asa first yaer student I would like to further my script writing course tilli finish it to the last level,Ibelieve in what I have started I have to finish it ,Andmy wish is to reach the sky .And I never thought one day I will be one of thescript writers ,Its an huge opportunity to me and Isee it as an blessing in disguise.And I sometimes read about some of the script writers ,directors and producers how they have started their journeys that are successful around the world .

Isometimes visulalize myself written one of the best script that will breakthrough and make it to the top script and make one of the best film that will win an OSCAR AWARD .And be best around the world and meet some of the best acters, actress,directors and producers and I pra all the time so that god can bless me so that I can reach my destiny.

Student: Joseph

Dear Mama (Philippa J Dyer)

Mama firstly, I want to thank you for believing in me and for not judging me for why I ended up in here. Its almost a year working with you and I don’t remember you in any day asking me about my detention. These teaches me that you view life in an analytical-way, you don’t capitalize on the individuals mistakes or weakness, instead on once hidden-potential to be unleashed. Remember that “Mama” when you help someone to be aware of their talents and pushes them to grow and realize their purpose in life, these lives a life time mark deep-down into their hearts, that no circumstance or person can replace it or take it away from them.

I kept on asking myself before we met a question, which was why am I in prison? And not finding an answer, but since meeting you my question has been answered. I know realize who am I and these helps me to relate and be in connection with my life.

Once more, thank you for believing in me and contributing into my future success. I promise you that you won’t regret the hard-work you are instolling in me, you are grooming on of the greatest film and script guru writers that South Africa has ever produced. Watch the space “Philippa’s” product is on the way.

You have teached me not to be in the comfort-zone, that I should always work extra hard in life. That I must read every book that my hands touches, in order to improve my grammar, hence in the film-industries poor grammar and punctuation annoys the readers. Lastly “Mama” you have teached me that My Voice is in my work.

Mama, I wish South Africa to be blessed by people like you, whom don’t just talk but puts action. My wish is to see more unprivillaged South African youths been involved in these sector and I pray that these project to even grow to other correctional-centers, hence writing helps one to be in connection with the nature, one forgets where there are and it promotes free-zone stress environment.

Thanks a lot Mama, you would always be remembered in our hearts … don’t give up on us, I’m fully aware of the hard work you’re doing … keep it up.

We love you too … Mama
Joseph

COURSE EVALUTION

Student: ‘Chix’

My Name is Chix, an Inmate in Johannesburg Correctional Centre (JHB Prison) doing a “Scriptwriting” course. I am one of the 11 students who were allowed to do the course after managing to pass the “Scriptwriting” aptitude test out of 70 Inmates who started with the course.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the “Scriptwriting” course for the impact it has in my life as a person (inmates/student) at Johannesburg Correctional Centre in Medium C facilities. Under the care of Supervision of both Department of Correctional Service and “Scriptwriting” facilitator honourable Pippa Dyer managed to open my eyes to the visual world and that is of the outmost importance. The “Scriptwriting” course serves as a valuable role in the life of many Inmates doing the course and also affects those wishing to do it in the near future. The course manages to build the skills and attitudes of personal competence within Inmates to be able to cope with problems while in incarceration, work out conflicts and distractions from the consequence of the current environment, and be able to determine where and when to seek assistance. Obviously, skills gained from the “Scriptwriting” course must be acquired by all Directors, Writers, Producers, Actors/Actresses, and those publishing documents based in the Movie making industries.

The “Scriptwriting” course can also serve valuable role by guiding the students to possess intellectual maturity, psychological and emotional capacity to physically put their knowledge into test and grasp the practical use of it. It is important to note that the good scriptwriter must be able to deal with outward things uncoloured by opinions or feelings not impartial or literal; especially philosophy of individual consciousness or perception; imaginary, partial, distorted and external to the mind in form of appropriate to object.

I do consider many factors in dealing with the evaluation of “Scriptwriting” course and would like to take this opportunity to raise an important issue that a person is born with a “Scriptwriting” and Acting talent and possesses discipline but most of the time due to lack funds and support are unable to nurture it. It is only those students who study “Scriptwriting” course and possessing family financial background who are the one most of the time succeeds to write stories but lacking imaginations and innovations, especially in South Africa where most of the time Movies written are boring and failing to let the viewers to use their own discretion as all Movies made are obvious all the times.

John

What I have learned about script writing

First and foremost I would like to thank the opportunity that I have to be one of the part of the script writers As I saw some of the inmates receiving their script writing certificates in the one of the event, I told myself that I want to be part of them.

I am passionate in reading motivational, biography books, newspapers, novels and watching movies. I am more interested in the work that is done by Producers, directors and writers more especially those movies that wons the Oscars awards since from the course, more especially from our teacher, mother Mrs Phillipa J Dyer, I have learned a lot from you about the script writing, it easy to understand the way you teaches us, it mean a lot and I improved on my writing gramma and speeling,

You have to think out of the box, In script writing there is no right you have to be better all the time, you have to free up your creative mind and film is about collaboration and the power of words can do great things even before the actor have got to performance.

The terms and the language of the film industry to understand the movies more better when watching about the 20 master plots, genres, narrative structure, synopsis pitch, M.T.P, and seeds ideas, formatting.

The heroes journey every person in this world is in own hero quest and the audience must be interested in the movie that they will be watching from the opening sequence to the resolution. The massage you send to the audiance.

Tshepo

Course Evaluation

What is Film and Creative Writing?

One would say its just film and writing. But I beg to differ. Film and Creative writing goes beyond that. For me, Film simply mean, life. Creative means innovative and bring new ideas. This course has helped me take the life experience (physical, emotional, spiritual) and combine it with the creativity that I have and bring in new ideas. Then take those new ideas and put them into writing and then visuals.

So now I understand that any thought is an idea. Not just an idea, but an idea that needs to be put on paper. My level of thinking has been shifted to another better level.

If film does that to me, then I highly consider film as life.

Sabelo

Section-A

Course-Scriptwritiing Letter

What Scriptwriting has done for me?

The Scriptwritting course has taught me a lot especially how to use my vision and see things in pictures and story lines.

The course has given me something to look forward to every Wednesday, knowing and believing that this course will benefit me in a long run or someday in future. The course has taught me how to express myself in words and writting.

I for one was not a person who could stand in front of people and pitch but the course has taught me that I have also been able to interact with people freely and wisely in and outside of the course. I love the course because it has and is giving us as inmates a platform and somithing that we can use as a tool of survival when we get released. I say this because many people are unemployed outside and are looking for jobs what more for us offenders who have criminal records it will be hard to find a job but with this course we can create jobs for ourselves.

For me this course is not only about writting movies but it is also a course of knowledge of what happens in the movie industry. The are many other opportunities in this industry witch have been unveild via this course. I would like to thank Mam Pipa for the love and courage she has given us because she doesn’t judge but listens to us.